Tacking stitch sewing machine



May 27, 1941. l N 2,243,211

TACKING STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1 940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. [8171/65 May 27, 1941. A. KIERNER TACKING STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ly D INVENTOR.

AZziwz per/2e];

ATTORNEY.

ATTQRNEY.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ln EMQ A KIERNER PACKING STITCH SEWING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1940 May 27, 1941.

Patented May 27, 1941 TACKING STITCH SERVING MACHINE Anton Kierner, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to Emil Prazak, Elizabeth, N. J. 1

Application May 15, 1940, Serial No. 335,294

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to novel attachments for use in tacking stitch sewing machines adapted to automatically form an inverted pleat in the goods operated upon and thereupon, by the sewing operation of the machine, to tack said pleats in closed condition by overseaming lock stitches.

In the manufacture of many articles and especially in the production of ready made garments, such e. g. as womens and childrens dresses, it is frequently desirable to provide an initially concealed fullness of material at different parts of the garment which can be expanded at will in aid of fitting the garment to a given individual. To this end, it is frequently the practice to provide such fullness in the form of an inverted pleat, the folds of such pleat being secured at desired spaced intervals along the length thereof by tacking or overseam stitching sewn across the seam or gap between the pleat folds. In fitting a garment so provided, the tacking or overseam stitching may be cut at desired points to release the pleat folds whereby to permit expansion of the pleat at such points, so as to take advantage of the fullness in the material for desired dress fitting purposes.

Having these things in view, it is an object of this invention to provide novel attachments for a tacking stitch sewing machine which can be easily actuated and controlled by the machine operator so as to automatically form the material to be operated upon into an inverted pleat and thereafter, by the operation of the sewing machine stitching mechanism, fasten or tack together the folds-of the inverted pleat so formed at desired points by means of overseaming lock stitches sewn across the open seam or gap intermediate the pleat forming folds.

The invention has for a further object to provide means mountable upon the cylinder bed of a tacking stitch sewing machine which includes operator controllable means for folding and supporting the material operated upon into an inverted pleat prior to performance of the sewing operation, said means including a cooperating presser foot adapted to both gauge the width of the inverted pleat desired to be formed, as well as to clamp and hold the pleated material in place during the sewing operation.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tacking stitch sewing machine equipped with the novel inverted pleat folding attachments made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the pleat folding attachment per se, drawn on an enlarged scale, and showing the pleat forming means in operative pleat fold forming position; Fig. 3 is a transverse section,'taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig.4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but with parts shown in horizontal section, this View showing the pleat forming means in released position; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on line 55 in Fig. 4, but including the cylinder bed of the sewing machine shown in end elevation, and also showing insertion of material ready to'be operated upon by the pleat forming means; Fig. 6 is aview, similar to that of Fig. 5, but sh'owing the presser foot of the mechanism lowered to operative material engaging position; and Fig. 7 is another similar sectional View, showing the mechanism in position operative to form the inverted pleat ready for sewing.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

In Fig. 1 is shown a tacking stitch sewing machine. Sewing machines of this type, which are well known to the art, comprise, generally, a base l0, arm I! and head I2, the latter supporting the oscillatory reciprocable needle bar l3 and" the releasable or liftable presser foot bar l4. Machines of this type are provided with a cylinder bed arm l5 which projects outwardly from the base I 0 in downwardly spaced relation to and beneath the arm H and head l2. Within the cylinder bed arm l 5 is located the rotating shuttle or loop taker and bobbin (not shown), the same being adapted to cooperate with the sewing needle I 5, carried by the needle bar It, in the formation of overseaming lock stitches during operation and use of the machine. Machines of this type do not possess material feed means, since the stitching is merely applied to the material worked upon in selected single locations.

The novel inverted pleat forming means of this invention is adapted for attachment to and support upon the cylinder bed arm l5 of the sewing machine, and comprises a bed plate 28 of suitable width and length. Provided in connection with the underside of the outer end portion of said bed plate '26 is a shim plate or boss 2| which rests upon a seating surface 22 of a supporting boss 23 with which the top side of the cylinder bed arm I5 is provided, whereby to support said bed plate in operative assembled relation to the latter. Said bed plate 29 is secured in said attached assembled relation to and upon the cylinder bed arm I5 by screws 24, or by any other suitable form of fastening means.

Provided at the outer end portion of the base plate 29, so as to be located beneath the head I2 of the machine arm II, is an upwardly Open countersunk throat channel of suitable width. Located in the floor of said throat channel 25, so as to be disposed in the field of operative movement of the oscillatorily reciprocated sewing needle I6, as cooperative with the rotating shuttle or loop taker and bobbin within the cylinder bedarm, is a suitably sized transversely disposed needle passage or slot 26, which communicates with the interior of said cylinder bed arm.

Afixed to the presser foot bar I4, by a suitably shaped offsetting bracket arm 21 connected thereto, is a presser foot 28 which is adapted, when lowered to operative position, to descend into the throat channel 25 to thrustingly bear upon material inserted between the same and the, floor of said throat channel, thus being operative to clamp and hold stationary the material operated upon during pleat folding and sewing operations performed thereon. Said. presser foot 28 is provided as an interchangeable element of the mechanism, since its width will determine the width of the inverted pleat desired to be formed in the material operated upon, in the manner subsequently more particularly set forth. Presser foot partsof various widths may therefore be provided for interchangeable connection with the presser foot bar I4, and consequently for selective use according to the width of inverted pleat desired to be formed in any given case. The presser foot is formed at its forward free end portion with a central indented needle passageway 29, which passageway is bounded by laterally spaced extensions or legs 30 disposed to straddle the needle passage or slot 25 of the throat channel 25.

Arranged beneath the bed plate 29,, to extend respectively along opposite longitudinal marginal portions thereof, are folder plate actuating levers 3|, each being fulcrumed intermediate its. ends on a fulcrum stud or pivot screw 32 affixed to the bed plate 29.. Affixed to the forward end portion of each said lever 3| is an upstanding post 33 to the upper end of which is suitably secured an inwardly projecting folder plate 34. As thus supported by their respective actuating levers 3!, said folder plates 34 he and move in the plane of the top surface of the bed plate 20:, parallel to and spaced above the floor of the throat channel 25, and with their free ends opposed one to the other. Said folder plates 34 are of substantial width with their axes substantially aligned with the needle passage or slot 26 of the throat channel, and formed in the free end portions thereof, in the direction of and along said axes are indented needle passageways 35' which, when the folder plates lie in pleat fold forming position, register with and above said needle passage or slot 26. In order to permit retractive movement of the folder plates 34 and their supporting posts 33, as produced by swinging movement of the actuating levers 3! in proper direction, the respective side marginal portions of said bed plate 20 are each provided with indented open ways 36 through which said posts 33 respectively extend and move. Preferably cover plates 31 are provided to embrace the bed plate along each side of the throat channel 25, and so as to cover said ways 39, whereby to prevent material operated upon from entering said ways with risk of injury thereto by contact with the levers 3I and the posts 33. These cover plates 3'! may be secured in place by screws 33, or any other suitable fastening means.

Suitably secured to the rearward end portion of the bed plate 20 is an upstanding, transversely disposed bearing member 39 in which is journaled a transverse rockshaft 43. Provided in the respective end portions of said bearing member 39, below the shaft location, are outwardly open sockets 4i. Formed in the bed plate 29 in alignment with and along the undersides thereof are slotways 42 which communicate with the interior of said sockets. Each folder plate actuatingv lever 3i is provided at its rearward extremity with an upstanding abutment lug 43. Said abutment lugs 43 respectively enter upwardly through the slotways 42 into corresponding sockets 4|. Based in said sockets 4|, to thrustingly bear upon the abutment lugs 43, are compression springs 44. These springs yieldably swing outward the rearward ends of the levers 3i, thereby pivoting the levers on their fulcrums so as to swing inward their forward end portions, thus moving the folder plates 34 inwardly toward each other in pleat fold forming direction, as will be subsequently further explained. Formed on the outer sides of the rearward end portions of said levers 3| are outwardly and forwardly inclined cam portions 45.

Aflixed on the rock-shaft 4D to respectively cooperate with the respective levers 3I are dependent arms 49 having antifriction rollers 41 mounted in their lower free ends and adapted, upon forward swinging movement of the arms 46 to engage the cam-portions 45 so as to effect a swinging movement of the levers 3I about their fulcrums and against the tension of the springs 44, whereby the outer end portions of said levers 3| are outwardly swung to retract the folder plates 34, so as to withdraw the latter from the throat channel 25 (see Figs. 4 and 5).

At one end thereof, the rock-shaft 49 is provided with a laterally extending lever arm 48, to the free end portion of which is connected a pull cable 49, or like connecting means, the lower end of which is affixed to a treadle lever (not shown), whereby the machine operator, by application of a foot to said treadle lever, may exert a down-pull upon the cable or the like 49 soas to swing down the lever arm 48, and thus rock the rock-shaft 49 in an anti-clockwise direction, thereby swinging forwardly the arms 46 for actuating engagement with the cam portions 45 of the folder plate actuating levers 3|.

Means is also provided, operative through the agency of the treadle lever, pull cable 49 and rock-shaft 49, to effect an upward withdrawal of the presser foot 28 out of the throat channel 25., such operation being so timed relative to the movements imparted to the folder plates 34 that the latter will clear the throat channel 25 in advance of the upward movement of the presser foot, on the one hand, while, on the other hand, the downward movement of the presser foot into the throat channel 25 will occur in advance of the entering movement of the folder plates into the latter. The means for so controlling and moving the presser foot 28 includes the usual pivoted lift lever 50 with which the sewing machine is equipped, and the forward end of which cooperates in the usual manner with the presser foot bar I 4 for raising and lowering the same. Said lift lever 58, however, is actuated from the rock-shaft 46, and to this end a lever arm 5! is afiiXed on the latter, the free end of which is interconnected with the rearward end of said lift lever 50 by a link 52.

If desired, the rock-shaft 40 may be further supported, adjacent its respective ends, by additional bearing brackets 53 carried on posts 54 which are suitably affixed to the machine base In.

In the use of the mechanism described to form inverted pleats and secure the same by overseaming tack stitching, the operator, before starting the machine for sewing, first depresses the foot treadle lever to turn the rock-shaft 4i] anti-clockwise, thereby the folder plates 34 are retracted from the throat channel 25, and the presser foot 28 is lifted'out of the latter. With the parts in this position (as shown in Figs. 4 and 5), the material M is inserted over the bed plate to lie intermediate the throat channel and the raised presser foot 28 (as shown in Fig. 5). After the material M is thus positioned, the operator releases the foot treadle lever, whereby the springs 44 exert an outward thrust upon the rear end portions of the folder plate actuating levers 3!, which movement is transmitted through the cam portions 45 to the arms 46 and through the latter to the rock-shaft 40, thereby rotating the rock-shaft in clockwise direction for return to normal initial position. The dimensions, form and arrangement of the interlinked lift lever 50 and lever arm 5| relative to the dimensions, form an arrangement of the 1 arms 46 and folder plate actuating levers 3| and their cams 45 is such that the presser foot lowering throw of the lift lever 50 effects an immediate initial downward movement of the presser foot which is more rapid than the initial closing movement of the folder plates 34, whereby the presser foot is carried below the plane of the folder plates before the latter can reach positions in closing which would obstruct the descending movement of the presser foot; and after the presser foot seats upon the work, the free end of the lift lever 50 may continue to freely move and separate from its normal engagement with the presser foot mechanism, so that, conversely, when the rock-shaft is again manually actuated by down-swinging movement of lever 43, and thus rotated in anti-clockwise direction, there is a lag in presser foot rising movement, whereby the folder plates 34 will open in advance of transmission of lifting movement to the presser foot. The effect therefore of the retiuning movement of the rock-shaft 48 is to first lower the presser foot 28, whereby the material M ispressed down into the throat channel 25, and clamped by the presser foot 28 to the floor of the latter (as shown in Fig. 6). Following this effect, the back swing of the arms 46 disengages the same from the cam portions of the folder plate actuating levers 3|, whereby the latter swing in direction to effect inward movement of their outer end portions, thus allowing the folder plates 34 to move in wardly, one toward the other, and laterally into the throat channel 25 above the lowered presser foot 28. This inward movement of the folder plates 34 carries portions of the material M inwardly therewith to form opposed folds m therein, thus completing the formation of an inverted pleat in said material M (as shown in Fig. 7). When the material is thus pleated the operator starts the sewing machine in operation, whereby the oscillatorily reciprocated needle H5, in cooperation with the other functional devices making up the sewing mechanism of the machine, will sew back and forth across the open seam intermediate the pleat folds the desired tacking or overseaming stitching in the manner wellknown to the art. After the stitching is completed, the folder plates 34 may be withdrawn and the presser foot 28 again raised, whereupon the material may be withdrawn, or shifted, if desired, for repetition of the described operations at another point.

From the above description, it will be understood that a very simple, easily actuated and easily controlled means is provided for forming inverted pleats in material operated upon, and then tack or overseam stitching the folds of said pleats to retain the formation thereof.

It will be understood that various changes could be made in the above described mechanisms, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings or described in the foregoing specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including an oscillatorily reciprocabl-e needle and a cooperating presser foot, a bed-plate having a throat channel to receive said presser foot, pleat fold forming means movable laterally into and out of said throat channel above the position of said presser foot when the latter is lowered into said throat channel, and operator controllable means effective to move said presser foot and pleat fold forming means into and out of said throat channel.

2. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including an oscillatorily reciprocable needle and a cooperating presser foot, a bed-plate having a throat channel to receive said presser foot, pleat fold forming means movable laterally into and out of said throat channel above the position of said presser foot when the latter is lowered into said throat channel, means for raising and lowering said presser foot, means for moving said pleat fold forming means into and out of said throat channel, and operator controllable means common to said presser foot raising and lowering means and to the means for moving said pleat fold forming means to effect coordinated relative movements thereof.

3. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including an oscillatorily reciprocable needle and a cooperating presser foot, a bed-plate having a throat channel to receive said presser foot, opposed pleat folder plates movable laterally into and out of said throat channel from the sides thereof but above the position of said presser foot when the latter is lowered into said throat channel, folder plate actuating levers pivotally connected with said bed-plate, means for raising and lowering said presser foot, means for operating said levers, and operator controllable means common to said presser foot raising and lowering means and to said lever operating means to effect coordinated relative movements of said presser foot and folder plates into and out of said throat channel.

4., In combination with a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including an oscillatorily reciprocable needle and. a cooperating presser foot, a bed-plate having a throat channel to receive said presser foot, opposed pleat folder plates movable laterally into and out of said throat channel from the sides thereof but above the position of said presser foot when the latter is lowered into said throat channel, folder plate actuating levers pivotally connected with said bed-plate, spring means operative to swing said levers in direction adapted to dispose said folder plates in operative relation to said throat channel, a rock-shaft, means to journal said rockshaft across said bed-plate,arms carried by said rock-shaft, said folder plate actuating levers having cam portions engageable by said arms to swing said levers in folder plate retracting direction, means for raising and lowering said presser foot, and means carried by said rock-shaft and connected with said latter means for operating the same, said rock-shaft being subject to actuation by and under the control of the machine operator.

5. In combination with a sewing machine having stitch forming mechanism including an oscillatorily reciprocalole needle and a cooperating presser foot, a bed-plate having a throat channel to receive said presser foot, opposed pleat folder plates movable laterally into and out of said throat channel from the sides thereof but above the position of said presser foot when the latter is lowered into said throat channel, folder plate actuating levers pivotally connected with said bedplate, spring means operative to swing said levers in direction adapted to dispose said folder plates in operative relation to said throat channel, a rock-shaft, means to journal said rock-shaft across said bed-plate, arms carried by said rockshaft, said folder plate actuating levers having cam portions engageable by said arms to swing said levers in folder plate retracting direction, a

pivoted lift lever means movable to raise and lower said presser foot, an additional lever arm car'- ried by rock-shaft, a link interconnecting said latter lever arm and said lift lever means, and operator controllable means for operating said rock-shaft.

6. In combination with a tacking stitch sewing machine having a cylinder bed, a stitch forming mechanism, and a cooperating presser foot including means to raise and lower the same; a bed-plate adapted to be mounted on said cylinder bed, said bed-plate having an upwardly open throat channel disposed to receive said presser foot when the latter is lowered, and means carried by said bed-plate for cooperation with said throat channel and presser foot to form an inverted pleat in material operated upon with the open seam intermediate the folds thereof so disposed that operation of the machine stitch forming mechanism will sew overseam or tack stitches across said seam to secure the pleat folds against separation.

7. In combination with a tacking stitch sewing machine having a cylinder bed, a stitch forming mechanism, and a cooperating presser foot including means to raise and lower the same; a bed-plate adapted to be mounted on said cylinder bed, said bed-plate having an upwardly open throat channel disposed to receive said presser foot when the latter is lowered, and means carriedby said bed-plate for cooperation with said throat channel and presser foot to form an inverted pleat inmaterial operated upon. with the open seam intermediate the folds thereof so disposed that operation of the machine stitch forming mechanism will sew overseam or tack stitches across said seam to secure the pleat folds against separation, and operator controllable means operative to coordinately move said presser foot and pleat forming means into and out of working position.

ANTON 

